2016 Volvo Vnm Safety Report

The 2016 Volvo VNM has a unique safety profile, characterized by a complete absence of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, indicating no reported crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths from owners. This suggests a high level of owner satisfaction or a very low incidence of safety-related issues reported directly by the public. However, despite the lack of consumer complaints, the vehicle has been subject to 5 safety recalls, which is a significant number. These recalls address critical safety components such as steering, service brakes, and engine cooling, all of which could lead to severe consequences like loss of steering or increased fire risk if not rectified. Specifically, two recalls address potential complete loss of steering due to issues with the castellated nut on steer axles or separation of the steering shaft. Another recall targets the front suspension's upper ball joint, which, if it fails, could also lead to a complete loss of steering. A recall related to service brakes highlights incorrect software that could affect braking performance, increasing crash risk. Lastly, an engine-related recall warns of excessive crankcase pressures potentially leading to engine oil coming into contact with hot surfaces, increasing fire risk. These recalls, while proactive measures by the manufacturer, point to several design or manufacturing flaws that could have serious safety implications. NHTSA crash test ratings are not available for the 2016 Volvo VNM, which is common for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Therefore, its performance in controlled crash scenarios cannot be assessed through this data. The overall safety picture is thus a dichotomy: zero consumer-reported incidents versus multiple manufacturer-identified critical safety defects requiring recall. The recalls are a strong indicator that potential safety hazards existed, even if they weren't widely reported by owners to NHTSA.

Our recommendation: Given the zero consumer complaints but five critical safety recalls, prioritize verifying that all recall repairs have been completed by a certified Volvo dealer before purchasing a 2016 Volvo VNM.